Automatic spring-damper.



M. F. GIBBONS.

AUTOMATIC SPRING DAMPER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 26, 1911.

1,039,5 12. P n ed Sept. 24,1912.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.,w/\smNGToN. D, c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL F. GIBBONS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC SPRING-DAMPER.

To all whom it may on ncem:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL F. GlnnoNs, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Automatic Spring-Damper, of which the following is a specification.

The main object of my invention is to devise a novel construction of a damper or valve regulating mechanism which is especially adapted to be employed in conjunction with any desired type of furnace and, in the present instance, for the purpose of illustration, I have shown the same in conjunction with one type of furnace to control the stack damper, although, as is apparent, its use is not limited to such purpose but it is adapted to control any desired type of damper or valve mechanism or to be employed in conjunction with any desired mechanism.

With the above and other objects in view, which will hereinafter more fully appear in the detailed description, my invention consists of a novel construction of a regulating mechanism which is adapted to be actuated in one direction by variations of fluid pressure while it is moved in the other direction in a positive manner by resilient means preferably consisting of a spring.

It further consists of a novel construction of regulating mechanism wherein several independent means are provided for accurately controlling the length of stroke of the movable element, whereby I am enabled to provide a very sensitive adjustment of the mechanism.

It further consists of a novel construction of a valve mechanism wherein the valve is actuated in one direction by variations of fluid pressure while in the opposite direction the valve is moved through the medium of a spring, the tension of which may be adjusted as desired.

It further consists of a novel construction of a regulating mechanism wherein the stack damper will be positively actuated in accordance with the variations of steam pressure, so that the induced draft and thereby the draft for combustion may be accurately controlled in accordance wit-h the demand for steam or load requirements of the boiler.

It further consists of other novel features of construction, all as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. June 26, 1911.

Patented Sept. 24, 1912. Serial No. 635,335.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawing one form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since the same has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of one type of a furnace in conjunction with which my novel regulating mechanism may be advantageously employed. Fig. 2 represent-s a sectional elevation of my device in detached position. Fig. 3 represents a sectional elevation of a portion of my device, similar to that seen in Fig. 2, but showing the parts in different relation relatively to each other.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a furnace of any desired or conventional type provided with doors 2 controlling admission of air to the ash pit 3 and beneath the grates 4, the furnace also being provided with a boiler 5 and having a stack 6 through which the waste products of combustion are discharged from the furnace.

7 designates a steam conduit leading from the boiler 5 and communicating with the chamber 8 of a valve casing 9, which latter is provided with a valve seat 10 with which coacts a valve 11, said valve controlling the passage of steam from the chamber 8 to the inlet passage 12 and the discharge passage 13, it being noted that the end of the valve chamber 14 is closed by means of a plug 15. The valve 11 is normally maintained against its seat 10 by means of a spring 16 mounted on the valve rod 17 which latter passes through a suitable stuffing boX 18 and is provided with a nut 19 for adjusting the tension of the spring 16, and thereby the pressure required to raise the valve 11 from its seat sufliciently to permit passage of steam to the inlet conduit 12.

20 designates the casing of the damper controlling mechanism which is provided with a piston chamber 21 in which is adapted to travel a piston 22 which is adapted to engage a seat 23, said piston being provided with a piston rod 24; on which is mounted a conical or other type of spring 25, one end of which abuts against the piston 22 while the other end thereof abuts against a cap 26 detachably connected with the casing 20. The piston rod 24 is threaded, indicated at 27, thereby adapting the same to receive a nut 28.

29 designates a spring, one end of which is connected with the piston 22, the opposite end thereof being connected with a plunger 30 having a less diameter than the bore of the passage 31 in which the same is located, such plunger being provided with a rod 82 which passes through the stuffing box The rod 32 is suitably threaded, as indicated at 34L, thereby adapting the same to receive the nut 35 whereby the tension of the spring 29 may be varied as desired.

36 is a grasping member carried by the stem 32 in order to actuate the latter when desired. The piston rod 27 is connected with a cable 37 which passes over pulleys 38 and is operat-ively connected with a damper 39 mounted in the main discharge conduit or stack 6 in order to control the passage of waste products of combustion from the furnace. The casing 20 is preferably provided with a conduit 4L0 to permit the discharge of any fluid which might be present in the piston chamber 21 on the side of the piston which is acted. upon by the spring 25.

The operation of my novel damper and valve regulating mechanism will now be readily apparent and is as follows: The amount of steam pressure required to actuate the valve 11 may be varied as desired by actuating the nut- 19 to vary the tension of the spring 16 so that when the pressure in the boiler reaches a predetermined point, the valve 11 will be moved forward in the valve chamber let so that the steam may pass through the conduit 7 into the chamber 8, thence through the valve chamber 14 into the conduit 12 as seen most clearly in Fi 3, and thence beneath the piston 22, there by causing the same to move upwardly so that the damper 39 will be moved toward its closing position, thereby decreasing the stack pull, as is evident. If the steam pressure decreases, thereby necessitating more draft on the bed of fuel, the spring 25 causes the piston 22 to move downwardly thereby imparting a pull on the cable 37 and causing the damper to open and thus increase the draft for combustion. Special attention is directed to the novel manner of adjusting my device. By adjusting the tension of the spring 16 the pressure at which the valve 11 will open may be varied as desired. The movement of the piston 22 may be varied in dilferent ways, one of the same being by adjustment of the nut 35, thereby varying the tension of the spring 89 which tends to maintain the valve 22 seated. The tension of the spring 25 may also be varied by adjusting the nut 28 and if the same is adjusted so that the spring 25 is increased, then a stronger force will be exerted to move the damper 39 to closed position. It is, of course, to be understood that the plrmger rod 32 and the piston rod 2t are longitudinally movable in the stuffing box :13 and the cap 26 respectively.

It will now be apparent that I have de vised a novel and useful construction of an automatic spring damper which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while I have, in the present instance, shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which has been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invent-ion or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention, What. I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a regulating mechanism, the combination with a furnace, its boiler and stack,

of a damper located in the stack, a casing,

a piston therein, a conduit communicating with said boiler and with said casing beneath said piston, a pressure regulating valve in said conduit whereby a predetermined steam pressure in the boiler will cause the piston to be moved in one direction, a spring within the casing and secured to said piston to move the latter in the opposite direction a compression spring on the opposite side of said piston and located between the latter and the end of the casing,

and means exterior of the casing for adjusting the tension of the compression spring.

2. In a regulating mechanism, a casing having a piston chamber and a seat therein, a piston in said piston chamber, a rod connected with said piston, a spring for normally maintaining said piston against its seat, a conduit opening into said casing beneath said seat and connected with a source of fluid supply, said casing having a chamber beneath said seat, a plunger adjustable in said chamber and of less diameter than said chamber and exposed on its front and rear faces to the motive fluid a spring connecting said plunger with said piston and valve mechanism controlled by said piston.

3. In a regulating mechanism, a casing having a piston chamber and a seat, and a chamber below said seat in alinement with the piston chamber, a piston in the piston chamber, a removable cap at one end of the piston chamber, a rod secured to the piston and passing through said cap, a portion of said rod being threaded, a spring between the piston and said cap, a nut exterior of the cap and engaging the threaded portion of said rod, said rod being connected with suitable mechanism to be regulated, a plunger in said chamber and of less diameter than the diameter of said chamber, a spring connecting said piston and said plunger, means for longitudinally adjusting said plunger and thereby the tension of said spring, a conduit communicating with said casing beneath said piston and also communicating with a source of motive fluid supply and valve mechanism controlled by said piston.

4. In a regulating mechanism, a casing having a piston chamber therein, a piston within said chamber, a piston rod extending through one end of the casing and secured to the piston, and having a portion thereof threaded, a nut exterior of the casing engaging the threaded portion of said rod, a spring intermediate the piston and the end of said casing, a spring connected to the opposite side of said piston, means for varying the tension of said last named spring, said casing having a conduit leading from a source of variable fluid supply and communicating with the interior of said casing beneath said piston, a pressure regulating valve in said conduit, and valve mechanism controlled by said piston rod.

5. The combination with a furnace having a boiler, a stack and a damper in said stack, of a casing having a conduit communicating therewith and with said boiler, a pressure regulating valve in said conduit, a casing having a piston chamber communicating with said conduit, a piston in said chamber, a. piston rod secured to said piston, a spring intermediate said piston and one end of the casing, a piston rod connected with said piston and operatively connected with said damper, a spring between one end of the casing and said piston, means exterior of the casing and co-acting with said rod to vary the tension of said spring, a spring secured to the opposite side of said piston for moving the latter toward its seat, and means exterior of the casing for varying the tension of said last named spring.

MICHAEL F. GIBBONS.

Vitnesses:

H. S. FAIRBANKS, G. D. MCVAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0. 

